The following chart-hitting songs from the year 1960 have been somewhat forgotten by mainstream audiences today. I think that’s a shame, because these three tracks are some of the most influential among the early genres of R&B, soul, and rockabilly. Let’s take a look and enjoy a little walk back in time, shall we?
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“Walking To New Orleans” by Fats Domino
How about some good old classic R&B music straight from the legend himself? “Walking To New Orleans” by Fats Domino hit the airwaves in June 1960. It became a massive success almost instantly, despite the song clocking in at just under two minutes long. The R&B tune made it to No. 6 on the Pop chart and No. 2 on the R&B chart in the US. You can tell that songwriter Bobby Charles had a lot of love for his hero, Domino, as he was able to write this tune for him in about 15 minutes.
“Georgia On My Mind” by Ray Charles
Some might not agree that this song deserves a spot on our list of forgotten songs from 1960. Is it really that forgotten? This might just be the most famous soul song to come out of the year 1960. At the very least, it’s the most famous song about Georgia. Though, Charles himself said that the song isn’t about the US state. Either way, Ray Charles’ gorgeous cover of “Georgia On My Mind” by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell is a really special 60s reimagining of a classic 1930s tune. It’s no surprise that this song made it all the way to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. While diehard fans of Charles would never forget this song, I think it could stand to be revived in the 2020s and deserves a spot on this list for that reason.
“When Will I Be Loved” by The Everly Brothers
A little bit of pop, a little bit of rockabilly, a whole lot of The Everly Brothers’ signature sound. “When Will I Be Loved” really sounds like the turn of the decade. And it’s not entirely surprising that this tune made it all the way to No. 8 on the Hot 100 in the year 1960. This is one of the finest, somewhat forgotten songs from 1960 that has aged surprisingly well, so much so that other artists have covered it often through the years. Linda Ronstadt’s 1975 version is probably the most famous, though Vince Gill’s version from 1994 is similarly stunning.
Photo by David Corio/Getty Images
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